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DURA EUROPOS

Ancient city of Syria situated on the middle course of the Euphrates River, was founded by the Seleucidis around the 300 B.C. as military colony. The period of the Partic dominion (114 B.C. - 165 A.D.) was that of the maximum prosperity of the center, that became a main halting-place for the caravans and river traffic. After the Roman conquest (165 A.D.), it was transformed in one of the mightiest garrisons on the Euphratic border. It was destroyed from the Persians in 256 A.D. and definitely abandoned a little afterwards.

Its rich archaeological patrimony documents all the phases of the history of the city and the multiplicity of cultures of its inhabitants. Numerous temples devoted to Greek and oriental divinities have come to the light, so a Christian church and a synagogue, varied public and privacies buildings, the mighty surrounded boundaries and the Roman camp and besides frescos and reliefs of notable artistic and religious value. The urbanistic plant to chessboard planned to the moment of the foundation is still perfectly legible.